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Electricity was restored across nearly all of Spain and Portugal on Tuesday morning following a significant power outage that impacted the entire Iberian Peninsula, though the underlying cause of the blackouts remains unclear.
The outage, which lasted for approximately eight hours and, in some areas, even longer, caused numerous disruptions. Subway systems, ATMs, and traffic lights were inoperable, flights experienced delays, and mobile communications were significantly impacted on Monday.
By 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Spain’s electricity operator, Red Electrica, reported that over 99 percent of energy demand had been restored, while the Portuguese grid operator, REN, confirmed that all power substations were back online.
As life began to normalize—schools and offices reopened, traffic flows improved, and public transport resumed—Spanish authorities had yet to elucidate the cause of what is being termed one of the most significant blackouts in European history.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez indicated that his administration prioritized two key objectives: re-establishing the country’s electrical system and investigating the cause of the outage to prevent recurrence in the future.
“We are evaluating all potential causes without ruling out any possibilities,” Sanchez noted.
Such extensive electrical failures are rare in the Iberian Peninsula and across Europe.
WATCH | Power outage leaves people stuck in Spain’s capital:
Major power outage leaves travelers, commuters stuck in Madrid
Individuals were stranded outside train stations in Madrid on Monday as the widespread blackout disrupted public transport, delayed flights, and triggered significant traffic congestion.
Eduardo Prieto, who oversees operations for systems management at Red Electrica, mentioned two severe, consecutive “disconnection events” that occurred just prior to the blackout. He highlighted that further investigations are necessary to ascertain the reasons behind these incidents.
In a statement released on Monday evening, Red Electrica attributed the blackout to a “strong oscillation in the power flow,” which resulted in a “substantial loss of generation.”
During the outage, a source familiar with the electricity sector revealed that the Spanish grid was operating with minimal “inertia”—the energy produced by large, rotating masses. This inertia is crucial for stabilizing the grid during sudden declines or spikes in energy demand or production.
“When inertia is low, any drop in production can exacerbate the situation, leading to a blackout. Restoring inertia is essential before bringing systems back online, and this process takes several hours,” the source, who requested anonymity, explained.
No unusual meteorological events or sign of cyberattack
Spain’s meteorological agency, AEMET, reported that there were no detected “unusual meteorological or atmospheric phenomena” on Monday, and there were no abrupt temperature changes recorded at weather stations.
Portugal’s National Cybersecurity Centre also dismissed speculation regarding a cyberattack, indicating that there was no evidence suggesting malicious intent behind the outage.
European Council President Antonio Costa confirmed that there were “no signs of any cyberattack,” while Teresa Ribera, a vice-president of the European Commission, ruled out sabotage, emphasizing that the outage represented one of the most severe incidents in Europe in recent times.
Although Red Electrica excluded the possibility of a cyberattack, Spain’s High Court announced it would open an investigation to explore whether any “act of computer sabotage” might have been directed against critical infrastructure in the country.
‘Electrical instability’ impacting Barcelona’s metro
Power was successfully restored at the Caja Mágica tennis venue, allowing the Madrid Open to resume on Tuesday with a full schedule, following a day in which 22 matches had to be postponed.
At major train stations across Spain, large crowds of travelers gathered on Tuesday morning, either waiting to board trains or rebooking disrupted or canceled tickets.
At Atocha station in Madrid, hundreds remained near screens seeking updates. Many had spent the night at the station, bundled in blankets provided by the Red Cross. Similar scenarios unfolded at Barcelona’s Sants station.
By 11 a.m. local time on Tuesday, the Madrid subway system had completely restored service. However, in Barcelona, the operation was normal except for commuter trains that were suspended due to “electrical instability,” according to the service operator, Rodalies Catalunya.
Emergency responders reported that approximately 35,000 passengers were rescued across Spain on Monday after being stranded on railways and in subways, with various facilities such as sports centers and train stations converted into makeshift shelters for those unable to travel home.
Meanwhile, remote regions of Greenland found themselves cut off from essential satellite access due to the Iberian power outage. However, Greenland’s telecom provider, Tusass, announced on Tuesday that services had been restored overnight.
Tusass explained that it lost connectivity with satellite equipment located in Spain, which is responsible for providing telephone, internet, television, and radio services.
Source
www.cbc.ca